South Korea's Yeo out of Women's World Cup

Seoul (AFP) - South Korea's Women's World Cup hopes suffered a blow on Monday when top striker Yeo Min-Ji was ruled out after tearing a knee ligament in practice.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) said Yeo, 22, would be out for up to eight weeks after she was hurt when challenging for a ball in the air on Saturday.

Yeo, top scorer and MVP when South Korea won the 2010 Under-17 World Cup, had been expected to line up alongside Chelsea Ladies forward Ji So-yun in Canada.

She will be replaced by midfielder Park Hee-Young as South Korea contest only their second Women's World Cup, starting with an opener against Brazil on June 9.